O. Rogeriee Thompson facts for kids

Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson, born on August 8, 1951, is an American lawyer. She is a federal judge who works for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Before this, she was a judge in the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Early Life and Education

O. Rogeriee Thompson was born in Anderson, South Carolina, in a time when schools and public places were separated by race. She grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. She went to Scarsdale High School in New York, graduating in 1969. This was part of a program that helped students transfer and exchange schools.

She then moved to Rhode Island to attend Pembroke College, which was a women's college connected to Brown University. She earned her first degree from Brown University in 1973. Later, she studied law and received her law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1976.

Her Career as a Lawyer and Judge

Thompson started her career in 1973, working as a cashier. In 1975, she worked as a law clerk, helping lawyers with their research. From 1976 to 1979, she was a senior staff attorney at Rhode Island Legal Services, helping people with legal issues.

She then worked at a law firm and later became an Assistant City Solicitor for Providence, Rhode Island, from 1980 to 1982. This meant she was a lawyer for the city. She also had her own law practice. In 1988, she became a judge in the Rhode Island District Court. In 1997, she was promoted to the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Her Work as a Federal Judge

In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Thompson to become a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. This is a very important court that hears appeals from lower courts. The Senate, which is part of the U.S. government, voted to confirm her on March 17, 2010. She officially became a judge on March 30, 2010.

On September 21, 2022, Judge Thompson took on a new role as a senior judge. This means she can still hear cases but with a reduced workload.

In 2017, Judge Thompson disagreed with a court decision about whether people in Puerto Rico should have the right to vote in U.S. federal elections. In 2020, she was part of a court decision that sent a case about the Boston Marathon bombing back to a lower court. The Supreme Court later reviewed this case.

Personal Life

Judge Thompson lives in Cranston, Rhode Island. She has three children.

See Also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Rhode Island